Festive Roundup: How & When to Watch All the Best Football Over the Christmas Period

With all the commercialisation that surrounds Christmas these days, it's easy to forget what the holiday season is really about: football. Lots and lots of football.

There are few things as iconic about English football as a packed Christmas schedule. Other leagues may take a winter break but the Premier League ploughs on, with the games coming thick and fast to the delight of fans and the chagrin of managers.

It is a hectic time of year, but 90min's Ultimate Guide to watching football over Christmas has got you covered. We've picked the best festive offerings from across the UK and Europe for the next two weeks, with details on when and where you can catch all the best bits.

So sit back and relax with a seasonal snack of your choosing, and take it all in.

Friday 21st December

TV PICK - Wolves vs Liverpool (Sky Sports Premier League, 20:00 GMT)

The latest stop on ​Liverpool's title trail takes them to Molineux to face a ​Wolves side who have fared well against the other members of of the big six this season, drawing against the Manchester clubs and Arsenal, and beating Chelsea.

Jurgen Klopp's men will still be on a high after their win over Manchester United but they can't allow complacency to get the better of them. Wolves have bounced back from a blip to rack up three consecutive victories and they will show no fear.

BEST OF THE REST

It's not just in England where the league leaders are aiming to extend their advantage, but in Germany too. ​Borussia Dortmund recently lost their unbeaten record, but they remain six points clear at the top and can temporarily make it nine with a win over closest rivals Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Borussia Dortmund vs Borussia Mönchengladbach (BT Sport 2, 19:30 GMT)

Saturday 22nd December

TV PICK - Cardiff City vs Manchester United (BT Sport 1, 17:30 GMT)

​Manchester United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer takes charge of the Red Devils for the first time since replacing Jose Mourinho in the dugout, although he won't be expecting a warm welcome from the ​Cardiff crowd. He led the Bluebirds to relegation during his previous foray into the Premier League.

Unitedcould not have picked a worse time to play Cardiff, who will be aiming for their fourth consecutive home win. Neil Warnock's team have surprised many observers with their recent results, which have propelled them out of the relegation zone.

BEST OF THE REST

The Premier League's early kick off sees ​Arsenal host ​Burnley before a packed afternoon including a full Football League programme, followed by Match of the Day in the evening.

Sunday 23rd December

TV PICK - Everton vs Tottenham (Sky Sports Premier League, 16:00 BST)

The Premier League's final offering before Christmas pits ​Everton against ​Tottenham, with the hosts aiming to end a four match winless run and the visitors targeting their fourth consecutive victory.

Spurs are still the only side in the Premier League yet to draw a game this season, and Everton have scored in every home match they've played under Marco Silva, so this game guarantees goals. Well, one of them at least.

BEST OF THE REST

The Championship has a delightful festive offering of ​Aston Villa against ​Leeds to warm the cockles. Dean Smith has turned the Villans into promotion contenders but this will be one of his toughest tests so far against a Leeds side top of the division under Marcelo Bielsa.

Eleven Sports has got you covered from dawn (well, 11am) til dusk with three La Liga games on the spin, and there's also action from Scotland as Steven Gerrard's Rangers travel to St Johnstone.

Aston Villa vs Leeds United (Sky Sports Football, 13:30 BST)

St Johnstone vs Rangers (BT Sport 1, 12:15 BST)

Match of the Day 2 (BBC One, 22:30 BST)

Christmas Eve

TV PICK - The State of New York vs Kris Kringle (Channel 4, 18:00 BST)

Unfortunately, if you're reading this you've already missed the original (and best) Miracle on 34th Street, but the 1994 version is a passable remake. A man with dementia claims to be Santa Claus and the court rules in his favour because Mara Wilson bribed the judge. At least I think that's what happens, it's been a long time since I saw it.

If you haven't guessed, there's no football on TV today.

Christmas Day

TV PICK - John McClane vs Hans Gruber (Sky Movies on Demand)

Ok, so Die Hard isn't actually on television this year, but it is available on Sky Movies and Christmas wouldn't be complete without this classic Skyscraper caper. Unless, y'know, you actually want to spend time with your family rather than watching TV all day.

Obviously there's no football on, it's Christmas Day. Maybe you can crack open that new Subbuteo set Grandad got you because he thought it was FIFA 19.

Boxing Day

TV PICK - Watford vs Chelsea (Sky Sports Premier League, 19:30 GMT)

There are nine Premier League matches and a full set of Football League fixtures to keep you entertained while you gorge on turkey sandwiches and set up your new phone / model railway / copy of FIFA 19 which you exchanged for the Subbuteo set (don't tell Grandad).

The most appealing of the televised top flight games is probably ​Chelsea's trip to ​Watford. The Blues lost 4-1 at Vicarage Road last season and Javi Gracia finally seems to have brought some stability to the Hornets, who are a dangerous team on their day.

BEST OF THE REST

The early Premier League kick off between ​Fulham and Wolves is a crucial one for the Cottagers in their attempts to stave off relegation. Later on, ​Brighton host Arsenal in a tricky-looking fixture for the Gunners, before the busiest Match of the Day until May.

There are no fewer than SIX Serie A matches on TV throughout the day as Italy also gets into the festive spirit with a full top flight programme. There's even a 3pm offering from the Championship as promotion chasers ​Sheffield United and ​Derby meet at Bramall Lane.

Fulham vs Wolves (Sky Sports Premier League, 12:30 GMT)

Brighton vs Arsenal (Sky Sports Premier League, 17:15 GMT)

Atalanta vs Juventus (Eleven Sports 1, 14:00 GMT)

Inter vs Napoli (Eleven Sports 1, 19:30 GMT)

Sheffield United vs Derby County (Sky Sports Football, 15:00 GMT)

Match of the Day (BBC One, 22:20 GMT)

Thursday 27th December

Ralph Hasenhüttl has instilled new life into ​Southampton already, leading them out of the relegation zone by beating Arsenal in his first home game in charge. That was only Southampton's second home win of 2018 in the Premier League - can they make it two in two to end a troubled year on a high note?

However, ​West Ham finally seem to have found their stride under Manuel Pellegrini and they head into the festive period on a four-match winning run. This could be a surprisingly entertaining encounter between two teams on the rise.

Friday 28th December

This is arguably the worst day of the entire festive schedule as there isn't even a stand-out film to save us from the mundanity of a football-less day.

However, this biopic of famously bad British skier Eddie 'the Eagle' Edwards features the talents of Kingsman star Taron Egerton and sounds like harmless, heartwarming fare.

Saturday 29th December

TV PICK - Liverpool vs Arsenal (BT Sport 1, 17:30 GMT)

The visit of Arsenal represents another big test of Liverpool's title credentials. If the Reds beat Wolves and Newcastle then a win here guarantees that they will end the year as Premier League leaders for the first time since the 2008/09 season.

Regardless of the result, Arsenal will end 2018 in much better spirits than they began it. Unai Emery has stamped his authority on the Gunners and although they won't win the Premier League themselves, they could yet have a big say in the title race.

BEST OF THE REST

It's derby day in Scotland as Rangers and Celtic meet in the second Old Firm match of the season. It's a friendly affair in the dugouts these days as Steven Gerrard faces his old Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, but there's never any love lost on the pitch.

That's followed by Hibernian vs Hearts in the Edinburgh derby later in the day. Before then, there's five other Premier League matches and the final Football League fixtures of the year, plus Serie A action featuring Juventus and ​AC Milan.

Rangers vs Celtic (Sky Sports Football, 12:30 GMT)

Hibernian vs Hearts (Sky Sports Football, 17:30 GMT)

Juventus vs Sampdoria (Eleven Sports​ 1, 11:30 GMT)

AC Milan vs SPAL (Eleven Sports 1, 19:30 GMT)

Match of the Day (BBC One, 22:30 GMT)

Sunday 30th December

Sky Sports brings you three consecutive Premier League matches, and this one is probably the most interesting for its importance at both ends of the table. ​Manchester City will be hoping to take advantage of a Liverpool slip-up the day before so they can end 2018 how they started it: top of the tree.

Admittedly, you'd expect City to make light work of Southampton, but Ralph Hasenhüttl has been called 'the Alpine Klopp' and he'll be aiming to do his namesake a favour with an unlikely result here.

BEST OF THE REST

​Bournemouth caused Manchester United's defence no end of problems when the two sides met at the Vitality Stadium earlier this season, although United ended up winning thanks to a last minute Marcus Rashford goal. Can the Cherries get revenge at Old Trafford?

Chelsea also visit ​Crystal Palace in the day's early kick off. That should be fairly straightforward for Maurizio Sarri's men, but Palace won the corresponding fixture last season, so the Blues will have to be on their toes to avoid another shock at Selhurst Park.

New Year's Eve

TV PICK - Kevin McAllister vs the Wet Bandits (Channel 4, 16:50 GMT)

Confession time: I've never actually seen Home Alone, but I believe that it's about two middle-aged men who break into the home of a young child, which doesn't seem very Christmassy of them. Apparently it's good though, despite the rather dark premise.

Again, no football.

New Year's Day

Cure your hangover with this special tonic courtesy of the Championship as two fallen giants vying to get back in the Premier League meet at Elland Road, hoping to get 2019 off to a flyer as part of a full Football League schedule.

If Leeds are still top of the league heading into the New Year, they might be on the way to a top flight return at last. ​Forest have promotion interests of their own, sitting just a point off the play-offs at the start of the festive period, so this is a crucial match for both of them.

BEST OF THE REST

Three Premier League fixtures is a disappointingly small number for New Year's Day but two of them are televised, with ​Leicester going to Everton in the early kick off before Tottenham visit Cardiff in the evening.

Everton vs Leicester City (Sky Sports Premier League, 12:30 GMT)

Cardiff City vs Tottenham (Sky Sports Premier League, 17:30 GMT)​

Wednesday 2nd January

There are six Premier League matches to choose from, but Sky Sports are beginning the year as they mean to go on: with Manchester United on TV. Both teams will be hoping it's a case of 'new year, new me' after their respective struggles in 2018.

The Benitez vs Mourinho edge will be lacking from this one (no doubt the Spaniard will be pleased that he outlasted his old rival), but hopefully it'll be just as entertaining as United's 3-2 win in the reverse fixture back in October.

Match of the Day (BBC One, 22:45 GMT)

Thursday 3rd January

Our festive roundup may be ending but the title race is just getting started as the Premier League's top two meet at the Etihad Stadium in a match which could define the rest of the season. The goalless draw at Anfield in October was an anticlimax, but the stakes have gotten higher since then with Liverpool unexpectedly keeping pace at the top.

However, City have a 100% record at home this season and even against this high-flying Liverpool team, they will be favourites - as long as they don't let Riyad Mahrez take penalties this time.